Brazilian corvette Pedro II
# Brazilian corvette Pedro II

Pedro II was a steam corvette warship that served in the Imperial Brazilian Navy in the second half of the 19th century. It took part in the Platine War.

## Construction

The corvette was built at the Ponta da Areia Foundry and Shipyard Establishment in Niterói in 1850, being one of the first ships built in this shipyard. It received the name Pedro II in honor of the second emperor of Brazil Pedro de Alcântara. After being launched into the sea in 1850 and undergoing armament tests in 1851, it was incorporated into the Brazilian fleet on 22 February 1851, with its first commander being captain-lieutenant Francisco Xavier de Alcântara. In that same year, it was sent south to participate in Brazilian operations in the conflict known as the Platine War against the Argentine Confederation.

## Service

### Platine War

On 17 December 1851, the corvette Pedro II, with six warships under the command of John Pascoe Grenfell, forced its way through the obstacles opposing navigation on the Paraná River where, in the Tonelero pass, near the Acevedo ravine, a fortification with 16 pieces of artillery and 2,000 Argentine marines had been installed, under the command of Lucio Norberto Mansilla. Argentine troops exchanged fire with the Brazilian warships, but could not prevent their passage.

### Final years

After the conflict, the ship was part of the Pernambuco Naval Station between 1859 and 1861. Still in 1861, it sunk near the Punta Brava Lighthouse in Montevideo, Uruguay.

